UnitedSoybean

A fairly quiet week for grain and oilseed exports

It was a generally poor week for grain and oilseed export sales. Corn, soybean and soybean meal sales for the week ending October 22 were within estimates while wheat and soybean oil were lower than expected. Physical soybean shipments were more than what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections for the 2009/10 marketing year but corn and wheat were less than what’s required to meet those expectations.

Soybeans were pegged at 691,000 tons (25.4 million bushels), 30% below the prior week and 21% under the four week average. China was far and away the largest customer at 437,000 tons. For the marketing year to date, soybean sales are 843.3 million bushels, compared to 523.5 million this time last year.

Brownfield story

Railroad prepared for harvest volume

Union Pacific Railroad has prepared for a big harvest. Company spokesman Mark Davis says Union Pacific has been staging rail cars in strategic areas of the Grain Belt, which he says has helped the carrier move trains faster.

Brownfield story with audio

Sebelius: rural health care, insurance below par

The current health insurance and health care system isn’t working for Rural America. That’s according to a report unveiled this week by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The report, the results of which support Obama Administration efforts to enact health insurance reform, examines the health care status quo in rural communities.

Sebelius says the report shows that many Rural Americans, such as farmers, are self-employed, putting them at a healthcare disadvantage.

Brownfield story

Foreign corn buyers concerned with delayed harvest

U.S. Grains Council president and CEO Ken Hobbie says the council is receiving many questions from end-users about the potential ramifications of wet conditions on the quality of product they receive —but at the same time, the fact that this is one of the largest corn crops in history gives them assurance that U.S farmers will meet all domestic and global demands.

Brownfield story

Vilsack works on trade relationships in Asia

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack hopes that relationship building may help resolve issues that currently hinder agricultural trade with China. In a telephone interview with Brownfield Tuesday, Vilsack said the delegation is trying to impress on the Chinese that the U.S. is taking action to eliminate concerns China has over U.S. Congressional action that limited poultry sales from China.

Brownfield story with audio

Study finds high rail rates for shipping soy

A recent study by the Soy Transportation Coalition found that 42 percent of rail movements of soybeans are transported at rates that could be classified as excessive.  In 2007 alone, that resulted in a potential overcharge of 120 million dollars to the soybean industry.

Brownfield story

Aphid-resistant soybeans provide another control option

Soybean farmers will soon have another control option for soybean aphids—aphid-resistant soybeans.

The initial resistant trait revolves around the Rag1 gene developed by University of Illinois researchers.  For 2010, Syngenta plans to launch its aphid-management system in up to six soybean varieties with Rag1-based tolerance.  Pioneer and Monsanto are also developing resistant varieties.

Brownfield story with audio

U.S. corn, soybean harvests remain behind average

As of Sunday, 20% of corn has been harvested, only up 3% from the previous week and considerably behind the five year average of 58%. 90% of the crop has reached maturity, compared to the five year average of 99%.

For soybeans, harvest is at 44%, compared to the five year average of 80%.

69% of corn is in good to excellent condition, down 1% from last week and 65% of beans are in good to excellent shape, unchanged from a week ago.

Brownfield story

EPA analysis shows climate bill benefits

According to a report on DTN, the EPA analysis shows farmers could receive one-point-two billion dollars of initial income benefits from the Senate bill, and potential benefits of 18-billion dollars over time.  The study was conducted by Duke University and Texas A & M University.  It concludes that the vast majority of producers across the U.S.—both crop and livestock—would benefit from the bill.

Brownfield story

Another strong week for soybean exports

According to the USDA, soybean and wheat sales for the week ending October 15 were larger than expected, while soybean meal and oil were within estimates and corn was below all projections. Dan Zwicker of ADM called soybean sales and physical shipments strong.

Soybeans were pegged at 987,300 tons (36.3 million bushels) with roughly three quarters of the total to China (741,500 tons). For the marketing year to date, soybean sales are 817.9 million bushels, compared to 470.0 million a year ago.

Brownfield story